Spectacle temple and method of making the same



1,649,787 F. A. sTEvENs SPECTACLE TEMPLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMENov. 15, 1927.

Filed Sept. l, 1921 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. STEVENS, `OIF PROVIDENCE,

RHODE ISLAND,"ASSIGNOR, .'BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, 'ro :sensorinnnrioiancsrrcan COMPANY, or ROCHESTER, `new YORK, A CORPORATION or NEWYoan. p i

SPECTACLE TEMKPLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application led September "The present invention relates toophthalmic'mountings and methods of making the same, and though certainfeatures thereof are applicable to Other mountings, the inventionrelates more particularly to spectacle temples. i n i The chief objectof the invention is to provide a new and improved spectacle temple ofthe `non-metallic type that shall be stronger, lighter,'more.endurableand `more efficient than any heretoforev proposed.v

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of `a spectacletemple constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention showing in dotted lines a non-metallic tube froinwhich the'non-metallic member ofthe temple may be constructed; Fig. 2 is a planview of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modification;A F igeis a longitudinal section of the end of the temple shown in Fig. 3before it is bent into shape; Fig. 5 is a section, taken upon the line5-,5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6 is a similar section of a modification; Fig. 7 isa fragmentary view of the hollow reinforcing member shown in Fig. 6;Figs. 8 and 9 are vsections similar to Figs. ,5 and 6v of furthermodifications; and Fig. 10 is a. section of a modification taken as uponthe line v10ml() of Fig. `2, looking inthe direction of the arrows. t i

`The invention ,is illustrated as applied to a spectacle temple of thenon-metallic type, which is chosen to typify any ophthalmic mounting.The temple comprises i, a nonmetallic. member 2 providedat its forwardend with a hinge plate 4, whereby itmay be Vhinged to a spectacle-lensframe, and tapering from the forward end towards the rear end, as shownin Figs. 1-3. Spectacle temples of this type are in common use, but arecomparatively heavy and clumsy, and rather thick at the rear end, toprovide the necessary rigidity for holding the temple-in place behindthe car. This is particularly true of skull temples of the charactershown in Fig. 1, for the rear ends of skull temples are designed toengage, and hold firmly against, the skull, and this they can not dounless the non-metallic material is thick and of substantialproportions.

According to the present invention, however, the thickness of the rearend of `the 1, 1921. seran No. 497,640.

very thin at the rear end, will maintainany "i' form into which it maybe'shaped, and will be strong enough to press firmly in and to holdagainst, the skull. The ends of the bore may be plugged withnon-metallic plugs l() and l2, eifectually concealing the reinforcingmember. The plugs maybe in# tegrally secured to the walls of the bore 6,as by the use 'of a solvent, or in any other desired manner.

The reinforcing rod 8 may be solid, as

shown in Figs. `5, 8 and 9, or hollow, as shown at 14, Figs. 6 and 7.The hollow reinforcing rod may, if. desired, be plugged with nonmetallicmaterial, and it may be provided v with Oneor more Openings throughwhich the non-metallic material within and without the 'hollowreinforcingrod may be integrally joined together. The hollow con#struction adds to the lightness `of the temple withoutdetracting fromits strength. lf constituted of light-weight material like aluminum,however, the rod may advantageously be made solid, and this isthepreferred-construction. lThe reinforcing rod, whether solid orhollow, may have any desired cross section,`round, Fig. 5, Oval, notshown, semi-oval, Fig. 8, or triangular, Fig. 9, corresponding to thecross-sectional shape of the desired completed temple.l y

Thebetter to lock the reinforcing rod 8, the `hinge plate 4 and thenon-metallic member 2 together, a screw or similar' element 20 may beemployed, extendingthrough all three'. `If the hinge plate is providedwith one or more suitable, beveled parts 22 projecting substantially atright angles to the plate and biting into and embedded within thenon-metallic material, a single screw 20 will sufiice `for the purpose.The `beveled projecting parts 22 crowd the non-metallic material intothe channel formed between them. To prevent accidental turningof thescrew, it may be provided with an irregularly shaped head 24 sunk intothe nonfmetallic material of the member 2. As shown in Fig. 10, thereinforcing rod may be provided with a flat face 26, lying against, andih contact with, a fiat face Q8 of the hinge plate, effecting` a verysecure joint.

. The member may conveniently be manufactured from a non-metallic tube29, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, skived or otherwise flattened toprovide a fiat side or, preferably, two substantially parallel, flatsides shown at 30, Fig. 2, eteiitlirrg substantially throughout thelength of the tube. The tube is further" reduced in thickness, a'S byslri'ving, to produce a tapered outer surface `between the flat sides30, as shown clearlyin Figs. 1 and 3. Therion-metallic material of thetube between the outer surfaceof the tube joining theflat sides and thebore tapers from the free endofthe Yfor- 'Ward portion, jivhere thehinge plate e is mounted, to near the free end o'f the rear portion. Thethickness of the rear portion is thus made 'small compared to the thickcness of the forivard portion. The walls of the bore G are then softened,as by the use ofalcoliolor other solvent, after which the rein orcingrod is introd'nced. The rear portion `of the tube, with the reinforcingrod enclosed thereon', is then bent into the required temple shape, asis illiistrated in Figs. f1, 2 and The hinge plate l is securedto onethe flat sides 30 at the forward end of the temple.

n temples' ofthe type shown in Fig. 3, thetiipeof which are bent, asshown 'at 40, such bending would have a tendency to separate the plug10, F igs. ,1 and 2, from the end of the reinforcing rod,leavinganundesirable gap between them. To prevent this liappening, the`end ofthe reinforcing rod may be' reduced in thickness at 4,2, Fig. 4,and the reducedend may be mounted Within the bore cfa bored plugrIhe.reinforcing rod, `\ritlr the plug 4e mounted thereon,is'thenintroduced into the bore 6 of the nonm'etallic member, andtheparts united together shown described. Bending of the tip` e0 or atemple lso constructed will not cause separation ofthe parts. AThisconstruction may be "employed also, if desired, inthe sliull` temple ofFigs. 1 and 2.`

"Other, modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons skilledin the art, and all suchl are considered to be Within the spirit andscope of the present invention, as delined injtlieappended claims.

VVhatis claimed as new lis:

1. A spectacle temple comprising a nonmetallic tube having forward andrear ends, a reinforcing member enclosed Within the bore of the Ltube,hinge plate at the forward end ofthe temple, and meansextendingithi'oughjthe member andthe hinge plate to secure themtogether, the rear end of the `tilbe with the reinforcing rod enclosedtherein being bent to the shape of a temple, the temple being adapted tobe hinged at the forward end.

2. A spectacle temple as defined in claim 1 the hinge plate of which isflat Aand provided with one or more parts projecting sub stantialljf` atright anglesjto the plate and biting into and embedded within thenonmetallic material of the nonlmetallic member.

3. A spectacle temple comprising a non metallic tube having forward andrcarportions, a re'enforcing member in the bore of the tube having a?fiat face, a hinge plate at the for'ltuird end provided with a flat facelying against and in Contact with the fiat `face oi" the reenforcingmember and having one or more parts projecting sub` stantially "at rightangles to the plate and biting into and embedded Within the non`-metallicmaterial of the non-metallicmemi ber, and means extendingthrouglr tlie inem ber and the hinge `plate to" secure `them together,the rear end of the tube With the reinforcing member enclosed thereinbeing bent to the shape of a temple, the 4temple being adaptedto be"hinged `means of plug Witlrin the bore of which the reduced end ismounted, the reinforcing member with the plug mounted thereon being enclosed Within `the bore of the tube.

6. A spcctacletemple comprising a` nonmetallic member having forwardandrealr portions and provided with a bore, a" reinL forcing rod in thebore, and a separate nonmetallic pluginserted Within the bore of themember at an' end of the member and? inte 'grally securedtojthe walls ofthe bore'ythe rear portion of the member with thel reinforcing rodtherein being bent to' the shape of temple, and the temple heiligadapted to be hinged atthe free end of the forward portion.

7. The'meuwa of making a` sparati@ temple that comprisesV inserting areinforo` ing rod in the bore of a nonemetallic member having a bore,inserting a separate non"- metallic plug Within the bore atan endof themember, integrally securing the pliig to the ivalls of the bore, andbending the member with the reinforcing rod therein to the shape oftemple.

8. A spectacle temple comprising" a nonmetallic bored member havingforward "and rear portions, and` a` remforcmgrod enclosed Within the'bore of tlie member, the

lil

non-metallic material of the member between the outer surface of themember and the bore tapering from the forward portion to near the freeend of the rear portion, whereby the thickness of the rear portion issmall compared to the thickness of the forward portion, the rear portionof the member with the reinforcing rod enclosed therein being bent tothe shape of a temple, and the temple being adapted to be hinged at thefree end of the forward portion.

9. A spectacle temple comprising a Seamless non-metallic tube havingforward and rear portions, a reinforcing rod enclosed within the bore ofthe tube, the tube having a substantially fiat side extendingsubstantially throughout the length of the tube, the non-metallicmaterial of the tube between the outer surface of the tube and the boretapering from the free end of the forward por- -tion to near the freeend of the rear portion, whereby the thickness of the rear portion issmall compared to the thickness of the forward portion, the rear portionof the tube with the reinforcing rod enclosed therein being bent to theshape of a temple, and the temple being adapted to be hinged at the freeend of the forward portion.

10. A spectacle temple comprising a seamless non-metallic tube havingforward and rear portions7 and a reinforcing rod enclosed within thebore of the tube, the tube having two substantially parallel, :dat sidesextending substantially throughout the length of the tube, thenon-metallic material of the tube between the outer surface of the tubejoining the .fiat sides and the bore tapering from the free end of theforward portion to near the free end of the rear portion, whereby thethickness of the rear portion is small compared to the thickness of theforward portion, and a hinge secured to one of the fiat sides at theforward end, the rear portion of the tube with the reinforcing rodenclosed therein being bent to the shape of a temple, and the templebeing adapted to be hinged by means of the hinge.

In testimony thereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29 day ofAug. 1921n FREDERICK A. STEVENS.

